Fixing Device of Catalyst Substrate

ABSTRACT

A fixing device includes a muffler and a catalyst mantle. The muffler is communicated with an exhausting route of an internal combustion engine. The muffler has at least one clapboard to divide inner space thereof for forming a plurality of expanding rooms, which are communicated with each other and configured for guiding waste gas. The catalyst mantle is integrated on the clapboard. The catalyst mantle has an admission terminal and an exhaust terminal communicated with the plurality of expanding rooms. A substrate having catalyst coated thereon is arranged in the catalyst mantle between the admission terminal and the exhaust terminal. At least one block is configured for preventing the substrate sliding to the exhaust terminal and a stopper is formed on the clapboard or an inner wall of the muffler for preventing the substrate sliding to the admission terminal. The fixing device improves the fixing capacity of the substrate, and decreases the manufacturing steps for arranging the catalyst mantle in the muffler.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a catalytic converter arranged in a muffler of an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a fixing device of catalyst substrate preventing the catalyst substrate of the catalyst converter sliding to a guiding or an exhausting direction.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

For satisfying increasingly strict standard for exhausting waste gas, manufacturers generally use at least one catalytic converter arranged in an exhausting route of an internal combustion engine which is arranged in cars, motorcycles or mowers, etc. The catalytic converter has a metal mantle and at least one metal substrate having catalyst coated thereon. The catalyst generally is selected from a group of noble metal consisting of palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), etc., for cleaning the waste gas and reducing the pollution of the waste gas.

The metal substrate is generally formed by welding and coupling a flat foil and a corrugated foil, and being rolled to be a turbination for being inserted into the metal mantle. Then the metal substrate is welded with the metal mantle to be integrated for forming a plurality of exhausting routes for exhausting the waste gas therein.

However, the cost is high by welding the flat foil and the corrugated foil of the metal substrate, and welding the metal substrate and the metal mantle. To solve the problem, a patent of Taiwan Patent No 386571 discloses a technology for fixing the metal substrate in the metal mantle. The technology includes a plurality of fixing holes arranged in two terminals of the metal mantle for containing the metal substrate, respectively, a fixing frame arranged between the plurality of fixing holes to prevent the metal substrate sliding out of the metal mantle because of high temperature, shaking or blowing by the waste gas, and prevent the catalyst coated on the metal substrate losing because of rubbing or impacting. However, the technology must further form the plurality of fixing holes and the fixing frame, and therefore, the steps of the technology are increased. Furthermore, when the metal mantle is arranged on the exhausting route of a muffler, the metal mantle must be welded to be fixed on a clapboard of the muffler; thus, the steps and the costs are also increased.

What is needed, therefore, is a fixing device of catalyst substrate, which can solve the above problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention is providing a fixing device of catalyst substrate so that the catalyst substrate can be fixedly secured in muffler.

A fixing device of catalyst substrate, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, includes a muffler and a catalyst mantle. The muffler is communicated with an exhausting route of an internal combustion engine. The muffler has at least one clapboard to divide inner space thereof for forming a plurality of expanding rooms, which are communicated with each other and configured for guiding waste gas. The catalyst mantle is integrated on the clapboard. The catalyst mantle has an admission terminal and an exhaust terminal communicated with the plurality of expanding rooms. A substrate having catalyst coated thereon is arranged in the catalyst mantle between the admission terminal and the exhaust terminal. The catalyst mantle further includes at least one block configured for preventing the substrate sliding to the exhaust terminal.

The present invention further includes the following features.

The block is a baring pole integrated on the exhaust terminal of the catalyst mantle. The baring pole is selected from a group consisting of intersecting-shape, arc-shape, and fin-shape.

The block is scraggy or corrugated, and has at least one groove attached on the substrate for preventing the substrate sliding, and at least one protrusion spacing from the groove to form a vent hole.

The block also may be formed on the clapboard and integrated with the clapboard.

Therefore, the present fixing device decreases the steps for fixing the substrate in the metal mantle to increase the fixing capacity of the substrate, and integrates the clapboard in the muffler to decrease the steps for arranging the catalyst converter in the muffler and increase the efficiency for assembling the catalyst substrate and the catalyst mantle in the muffler.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a fixing device of catalyst substrate in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic, exploded view of the fixing device in accordance with the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic, front view of a catalyst mantle in accordance with the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is another schematic, front view of a catalyst mantle in accordance with the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5 is other schematic, front view of a catalyst mantle in accordance with the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a catalyst mantle in accordance with the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of another catalyst mantle in accordance with the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a schematic, exploded view of a fixing device in accordance with a second preferred embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the fixing device in accordance with the second preferred embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a schematic, part-enlarged view of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the fixing device in accordance with the third preferred embodiment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe a preferred embodiment of the present fixing device of catalyst substrate, in detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, a fixing device of catalyst substrate in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The fixing device includes a muffler 1 and a catalyst mantle 3 of a catalyst converter.

The muffler 1 is communicated with an exhausting route 10 of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The muffler 1 has at least one clapboard 2 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 together) to divide inner space thereof to form a first expanding room 11 and a second expanding room 12 communicated with each other for guiding waste gas. The first expanding room 11 is communicated with the engine through an exhaust pipe 13 arranged in the exhausting route 10, and the second expanding room 12 is communicated with the environment through a tail pipe 14 arranged in the muffler 1.

The catalyst mantle 3 is integrated on the clapboard 2. The catalyst mantle 3 has an admission terminal 31 and an exhaust terminal 32 formed thereon and communicated between the first expanding room 11 and the second expanding room 12. The catalyst mantle 3, which is between the admission terminal 31 and the exhaust terminal 32, has at least one substrate 4 having catalyst coated thereon. In this exemplary embodiment, the catalyst mantle 3 has a plurality of substrates 4, 41 with catalyst coated thereon (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). The substrate 4 is a flat foil and the substrate 41 is a corrugated foil. This exemplary embodiment rolls the flat foil 4 and the corrugated foil 41 to be a turbinate substrate 40, and a plurality of through holes 42 are formed between the flat foil 4 and the corrugated foil 41. Each of the through holes 42 is communicated between the admission terminal 31 and the exhaust terminal 32. Furthermore, at least one block 5 is formed on the catalyst mantle 3 for preventing the substrate 40 sliding to the exhaust terminal 32, and at least one exhaust hole 51 (as shown in FIG. 6) is formed on the block 5 and communicated with each of the through holes 42 and the second expanding room 12. In addition, a stopper 6, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, is provided to restrict the substrate 40 fixedly positioned between the block 5 and the stopper 6 so that the substrate 40 can not slide to the admission terminal 31 either.

The present further includes the following features.

The catalyst is selected from a group of noble metal consisting of palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), etc.

The block is a baring pole 52 integrated on the exhaust terminal 32 of the catalyst mantle 3. The baring pole 52 may be intersecting-shaped, arc-shaped, or fin-shaped (as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5).

The stopper 6 is a curved stopping strip 61 with two ends welded on the clapboard 2 and an indention for receiving the substrate 40.

The present invention can be performed by the above members. Especially when the engine starts to operate, the waste gas produced by the engine is guided into the first expanding room 11 of the muffler 1 through the exhaust pipe 13 of the exhausting route 10 (as shown in FIG. 1). Then the waste gas is guided through the stopper 6 and into the plurality of through holes 42 of the substrate 40 through the admission terminal 31 of the catalyst mantle 3 (as shown in FIG. 6), and then is guided into the second expanding room 12 through the exhaust hole 51 of the block 5 and the exhaust terminal 32 of the catalyst mantle 3, and later is exhausted to the environment through the tail pipe 14. During the operation, the waste gas makes a redox reaction with the catalyst arranged on the flat foil 4 and the corrugated foil 41 when the waste gas passes through the plurality of through holes 42 to be cleaned. At the same time, the waste gas blows the substrate 40 to make the substrate 40 sliding to the exhaust terminal 32 of the catalyst mantle 3, and the baring pole 52 of the block 5 and the stopping strip 61 prevent the substrate 40 for sliding out of the catalyst mantle 3 because of high temperature, shaking or blowing by the waste gas, and preventing the catalyst coated on the substrate 40 losing because of rubbing or impacting to increase the fixing capacity and increase the using life of the substrate 40. Therefore, the fixing device decreases the steps for fixing the catalyst substrate 40 in the metal mantle 3, and integrates the catalyst mantle 3 on the clapboard 2 of the muffler 1 to decrease the steps for arranging the catalyst mantle 3 in the muffler 1, and increases the efficiency for assembling the catalyst substrate 40 and the catalyst mantle 3 in the muffler 1 so that the cost can be reduced.

Furthermore, the baring pole 52 of the block 5 may be scraggy or corrugated (as shown in FIG. 7), and has at least one groove 53 attached on the substrate 40 for preventing the substrate 40 sliding, and at least one protrusion 54 spacing with the groove 53 to form a vent hole 55. In this exemplary embodiment, the baring pole 52 has a plurality of grooves 53 and a plurality of protrusions 54, and a plurality of vent holes 55 is formed between the plurality of grooves 53 and the plurality of protrusions 54. The through holes 42 of the substrate 40 are communicated with the vent holes 55. Therefore, the waste gas can be guided into the second expanding room 12 through not only the plurality of through holes 42 but also the plurality of vent holes 55 to increase the smooth capacity of the substrate 40.

Furthermore, the catalyst mantle 3 is formed by stamping on the clapboard 2. The catalyst mantle 3 may be also formed by integrating with the clapboard 2. The catalyst mantle 3 may have a flat foil 4 rolled to be a turbinate substrate therein.

Referring to FIG. 8, a fixing device of catalyst substrate in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The second preferred embodiment discloses a muffler 1 a communicated with an exhausting route 10 a of an internal combustion engine of a mower (as shown in FIG. 9). The muffler 1 a is composed of an upper cover 16 a and a lower cover 15 a. Furthermore, the muffler 1 a has at least one clapboard 2 a arranged therein to divide the inner space thereof for forming a lower expanding room 11 a and an upper expanding room 12 a communicated with each other. At least one block 5 a is formed on the clapboard 2 a, and a catalyst mantle 3 a is arranged on the clapboard 2 a. The catalyst mantle 3 a has an admission terminal 31 a and an exhaust terminal 32 a communicated between the lower expanding room 11 a and upper expanding rooms 12 a. The catalyst mantle 3 a between the admission terminal 31 a and the exhaust terminal 32 a has at least one foil 4 having catalyst coated thereon. In this exemplary embodiment, a flat foil 4 and a corrugated foil 41 are rolled to form a turbinate substrate 40 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10). The block 5 a can prevent the turbinate substrate 40 sliding to the exhaust terminal 32 a. In addition, a stopper 6 a is provided to restrict the substrate 40 fixedly positioned between the block 5 a and the stopper 6 a so that the substrate 40 can not slide to the admission terminal 31 a either.

The lower expanding room 11 a is communicated with the engine through an intake 17 a which is arranged on the lower cover 15 a, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, to connect the exhausting route 10 a. The upper expanding room 12 a is communicated with the environment through an outtake 18 a arranged on the upper cover 16 a. A plurality of through holes 42 of the substrate 40 are communicated between the admission terminal 31 a and the exhaust terminal 32 a of the catalyst mantle 3 a (as shown in FIG. 10). The block 5 a also has at least one exhaust hole 51 a formed thereon to be communicated with each of the through holes 42 and the upper expanding room 12 a. The block 5 a is a baring pole 52 a integrated on the clapboard 2 a or the exhaust terminal 32 a of the catalyst mantle 3 a. The baring pole 52 may be intersecting-shaped, arc-shaped, or fin-shaped (as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5). The stopper 6 a is a curved stopping strip 61 with two ends welded on the inner wall 19 a of the muffler 1 a and a crowning for the substrate 40 resting thereon. Other elements are same to those of the first preferred embodiment.

When the engine starts to operate, the waste gas produced by the engine is guided into the lower expanding room 11 a of the muffler 1 a through the exhausting route 10 a and the intake 17 a (as shown in FIG. 9). Then the waste gas is guided through the stopper 6 a and into the plurality of through holes 42 of the substrate 40 through the admission terminal 31 a of the catalyst mantle 3 a (as shown in FIG. 10), and then is guided into the upper expanding room 12 a through the exhaust hole 51 a of the block 5 a and the exhaust terminal 32 a of the catalyst mantle 3 a, and later is exhausted to the environment through the outtake 18 a. During the operation, the waste gas makes a redox reaction with the catalyst arranged on the flat foil 4 and the corrugated foil 41 when the waste gas passes through the plurality of through holes 42. At the same time, the waste gas blows the substrate 40 to make the substrate 40 sliding to the exhaust terminal 32 a of the catalyst mantle 3 a; however, the substrate 40 is restricted between the baring pole 52 a of the block 5 a and the stopper 6 a. Others are same to those of the first preferred embodiment.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11, the stopper 6 a can be directly formed as a crowning portion 62 a of the inner wall 19 a of the muffler 1 a for the substrate 40 resting thereon. Others are same to those of the second preferred embodiment.

The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein, including configurations ways of the recessed portions and materials and/or designs of the attaching structures. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments. 

1. A fixing device of catalyst substrate, comprising: a muffler communicated with an exhausting route of an internal combustion engine, the muffler having at least one clapboard to divide an inner space thereof for forming a plurality of expanding rooms which are communicated with each other and configured for guiding waste gas; a catalyst mantle integrated on the clapboard, the catalyst mantle having an admission terminal and an exhaust terminal communicated with the plurality of expanding rooms, a substrate having catalyst coated thereon being arranged in the catalyst mantle between the admission terminal and the exhaust terminal, the catalyst mantle further including at least one block configured for preventing the substrate sliding to the exhaust terminal; and a stopper formed on the clapboard or an inner wall of the muffler for preventing the substrate sliding to the admission terminal.
 2. The fixing device of catalyst substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the block is a baring pole integrated on the exhaust terminal of the catalyst mantle, the baring pole has a shape selected from a group consisting of intersecting-shape, arc-shape, and fin-shape.
 3. The fixing device of catalyst substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the block is scraggy or corrugated, and has at least one groove attached on the substrate for preventing the substrate sliding, and at least one protrusion spacing from the groove to form a vent hole.
 4. The fixing device of catalyst substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stopper is a curved stopping strip with two ends welded on the clapboard and an indention for receiving the substrate.
 5. The fixing device of catalyst substrate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stopper is a curved stopping strip with two ends welded on the inner wall and a crowning for the substrate resting thereon, or the stopper is formed as a crowning portion of the inner wall for the substrate resting thereon.
 6. A fixing device of catalyst substrate, comprising: a muffler communicated with an exhausting route of an internal combustion engine, the muffler having at least one clapboard to divide inner space thereof for forming a plurality of expanding rooms, which are communicated with each other and configured for guiding waste gas, the clapboard having at least one block formed thereon; a catalyst mantle integrated on the clapboard, the catalyst mantle having an admission terminal and an exhaust terminal communicated with the plurality of expanding rooms, a substrate having catalyst coated thereon being arranged in the catalyst mantle between the admission terminal and the exhaust terminal, the block being configured for preventing the substrate sliding to the exhaust terminal; and a stopper formed on the clapboard or on an inner wall of the muffler for preventing the substrate sliding to the admission terminal.
 7. The fixing device of catalyst substrate as claimed in claim 6, wherein the block is a baring pole integrated on the exhaust terminal of the catalyst mantle, the baring pole has a shape selected from a group consisting of intersecting-shape, arc-shape, and fin-shape.
 8. The fixing device of catalyst substrate as claimed in claim 6, wherein the block is scraggy or corrugated, and has at least one groove attached on the substrate for preventing the substrate sliding, and at least one protrusion spacing from the groove to form a vent hole.
 9. The fixing device of catalyst substrate as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stopper is a curved stopping strip with two ends welded on the clapboard and an indention for receiving the substrate.
 10. The fixing device of catalyst substrate as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stopper is a curved stopping strip with two ends welded on the inner wall and a crowning for the substrate resting thereon, or the stopper is formed as a crowning portion of the inner wall for the substrate resting thereon. 